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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. I B. P. WRIGHT.

2 3 TARGET TRAP- No. 276,124. Patented Apr. 17,1883.

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TARGET TRAP.

No. 276,124. Patented Apr. 17,1883.

(No ModeI J 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 .ATTEE'T I I IIJVERITEIR MM @W MAM fl m /xUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BENJAMIN F. WVRIGHT, OF HARTWELL, OHIO,'ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JAMES P.RAYMOND, OF SAME PLACE.

' TARGET-TRAP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent; No. 276,124, dated April17, 1883.

Application filed August 10, 1882.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN F. WRIGHT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Hartwell, in the county of Hamilton, State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improve ments in Target-Traps, of whichthe following 'is a specification. i

. The object of my invention is a trap adapted to throw either aball-target or the flying target, and when throwing the latter to giveit a motion more nearly imitating the flight ofa bird. Its object isalso to give to the target-the spinning motion which causes it to riseand slowly descend'without an extraneous lug or clip secured to thetarget. These objects are attained by the meansillustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which- D Figure 1 is a side elevation of mytrap ,set ready to receive a flying target. Fig. II is a verticaltransverse section through line as root Fig. I, looking to the front endof the target. This \iew is enlarged to clearly illustrate the springswhich actuate the throwing-arm and the spool around which the springsare coiled. Fig. III is a top plan view of the target-holder. Fig. 1V isa perspective view of a flying target intended for use with my trap.Fig. V is a radial section of the view represented in Fig. III, with theguide-arm removed. Fig. VI is t a top plan view of the end of thethrowingthe rear of Fig. VII.

Similar reference-letters represent like parts wherever'they occurthroughout the various views.

A represents the base of my trap. It is a hollow shaft terminating in atripod. The outer ends of the feet are perforated to receive screws bywhich it is secured to a wooden frame, which is also perforated toreceive pins which are driven through these perforations into the groundto secure the trap in place. The hollow shaft A receives a hollowspindle, a, and upon this spindle or shaft is fitted to turn abracket-arm, B. The bracket is held in place upon the shaft a of base Aby a collar, b. A spring, I), secured in bracketB and made to pressagainst the shaft a of base A,

(No model.)

permits the bracket to be turned round upon the shaft, while retainingit with sufficient pressure to prevent its being turned by the jarincident to the action of the throwing-arm.

The front end of the bracket-arm B terminates in a hollow spool, baround which the springs O C are coiled. The spool b is notched uponeach end to receive the outer bent ends of the springs C O, and has atransverse slot, N, to receive the end of the throwing-aim D. Thethrowing-arm isjournaled within spool taupon a bolt, E, which passesthrough washerseand the spool b the washers being firmly clamped againstthe ends of the spool to hold the springs.

in place by anut, 0 upon one end of the bolt. The innerend of spring 0is bentaround the under edge of arm I), and is compressed by pressingdown the arm, as seen in Fig. I, while spring 0 is bent over the top ofarm D, and, being coiled aroundthe spool in the opposite direction, isslackened by pressing down the arm and compressed by the upwardmovement, so that armD is suddenly arrested and sprung backward, causinga jerking motion by which the spinning motion of the target is greatlyaccelerated. The tension of the springs O 0 upon the arm D is regulatedby changing their outer hooked ends from one to another of the notchesin the .end of the spool 6 which is done by loosening the'screw-nut onbolt E,

pushingthe washers back,and,after the springs are changed, tightening upthe screw to hold them in place. The end ot'the arm D is turned into aneye orloop and longitudinally notched to receive a notched segment, F,which isjournaled upon a pin passing through the looped end of the bar Dand through the disk F. Up-

on top of the bar or arm D is a latch, f, adapted to be turned into anyone of the notches in disk F, and hold it in any position desired.

The target-holder Gis a flatsheet-metal plate or disk, from the outeredge of which lugs 99 and tongue 9 are turned up and over toretain 5 thetarget, Fi IV, upon the plate. The holder is mounted upon a rod, f,extending from segment F, which rod passes through lugs g extending downfrom the under side of the holder. The, lower end of flange g is turnedno out parallel with the face of the holder and notched to engage theedge of disk F. By this means the holder is adjustable around the rod f.The holder is set at the desired angle tate the flight of a bird.

by loosening the screw on the end of the rodf, when the holder can heslipped back upon the rod, turned to the desired angle, and secured bytightening the screw. The rod f' is bent below a central opening in theholder to provide for using the trap with the ordinary balltarget.

H is a metal bar, and I a flexible strap. These are secured to theholder by screws 1 which are tapped into lugs 9 extending down from theunder side of the holder. The strap has a slot, i, at the end, and theflange of the target,Fig. IV, is notched at 5 to form a hooked tooth, 6,which is passed through the slot in the strap, which is then tightenedaround the edge of the target by turning the target to its place on theholder G. The strap I is suddenly uncoiled from around the target G bythe recoil of the spring 0, thus giving the target a spinning motion.

The trigger J is pivoted in the top of the standard, which is shown invertical section, Fig. I. The arm D is perforated topass over the top ofthe shaft a and hooked end of the trigger, and is held in the positionshown in Fig. I by a coiled spring,j, until the trap is sprung bypulling upon the cord j.

The view shown in Fig. I represents the trap as set to throw the target,Fig. IV, and is the position it will occupy ordinarily; but much dependsupon the weight of the target used and the direction and velocity of thewind. I

have therefore provided a means to adjust the holder on the shaftf andaround the journal-pin of the disk or segment F, so that the skilledsportsman can set the trap to throw the target in any direction desiredunder any circumstances. My trap (shown in Figs. VII and VIII) throwsthe target, Fig. IV, as they are usually thrown by traps now in commonuse' that is, the target begins to rise so soon as it leaves the trap;but this motion does not imi- I therefore prefer the form represented inFig. I, because the target thrown from the trap setiu this positiongradually descends until it has reached a dis tance of about twentyyards from the trap,

'when the spinning motion imparted by the flexible strap I causes it toascend, giving it the direction of a bird started about that distancefrom the sportsman.

My trap is changed to throw the common ball-target by adjusting theholder G nearly parallel with the throwing-arm D instead of at a rightangle to it, as shown in Fig. I.

Instead of .the strap I, for giving the rotary motion to the target, a.stud-pin may be secured in the holder G to engage the notch in theflange of the target.

The target shown in Fig. IV is not particularly described herein,because I propose to make it the subject of an independent application.

I do not limitmyself to exact form of spring shown to actuate thethrowing-arm, as it is evident many well-known forms of springs may beused to impel and suddenly arrest the arm but I think the form I haveshown is the best and simplest.

What is claimed herein is- 1. A target-trap consisting of afixedstandard, A a, a bracket-arm supported by said standard, andaspring-actuated throwing-arm, as D, in combination with aholderconsisting of plate G, guide-arm H, and suitable means,

such as shown, to secure said holder to the spring-actuated arm, and toretain the target upon the holder during the forward movement of thearm, substantially as herein shown and described.

2. In combination with a target-trap of the character described, thetarget-holder consisting of plate G, arm H, strap I, lugs g, and tongue9, said holder being secured to the free end of a spring-actuated arm,as D.

3. In a target-trap, the combination, substantially as before set forth,of a bracket, an

arm pivoted thereto, a coiled spring, 0, exerting its force on the armwhen the trap is set,

and an oppositely-coiled spring, 0, exerting its force on the arm whenthe latter is at or near its throwing-point.

4. The combination, with thespring-actuated arm I), holder G, segment F,and latchf for adjusting the holder on an axis at right angles to thearm D, of the rod f and notched flange g for adjusting said holderaround an axis parallel to said arm D, substantially as before setforth.

5. In a target-trap of the character described the combin'ation,substantially as specifled, of holder G, journaled upon rod f and havinga notched flange, g, with a segment or projection upon said rod toengage the notches of the flange for the purpose of adjusting the holderaround the rod.

6. In a target-trap, the combination, substantially as specified, ofstandard Aa, bracketarm B, and hollow notched spool W, with arm D, holtE, and springs O U, coiled in opposite directions around said spool andadjustable within the notched ends for the purpose of regulating thepressure of said springs upon arm D.

BENJAMIN F. WRIGHT. \Vi'tnesses:

GEO. J. MURRAY, HORATIO V. ORoLL.

